The term insanity is frequently used to refer to madness ( lack of sanity ). However, with this accentuation, the word is not recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). The correct thing, according to the entity, is to talk about insanity : with an accent on the first A.
Insanity and insanity, in short, allude to the same thing, although the first form is not appropriate. Beyond the spelling rules and what is accepted by the academy , the truth is that we can read and hear about insanity in many media.
Insanity refers to a mental disorder or imbalance . In ancient times it was believed that the insane were victims of demons or supernatural powers; As time went by, the problem began to be associated with medical issues.
In any case, it is important to keep in mind that the definition of insanity has varied throughout history, even in the field of psychology and psychiatry. Schizophrenia , oligophrenia , dementia and bipolar disorder are some of the mental illnesses that science recognizes today and that can be linked to insanity.
At a legal level, a person's declaration of insanity means that they do not have the necessary skills to understand the limits of reality, that is, at what point reality ends and fantasy begins. Therefore, when someone is declared insane, the administration of their assets passes to a third party, for example.
In this framework there is a concept called vices of consent (it is also known by the names vices of voluntary acts and vices of will ), which refers to certain characteristics of the individual who commits a crime or an offense that invalidate said acts or that requires that they be analyzed differently.
For a legal act to be considered voluntary , three fundamental points are required in its execution: freedom, intention and discernment. This means that the subject must not act under duress (pressure from a third party to commit a crime, for example, seriously threatening him/her), that he/she must genuinely want to carry out his/her actions (with their respective consequences) and that he/she must fully understand that it is not an illusion but a real fact.
If any of these aspects are not met then it is said that the act contains defects of consent. Insanity and immaturity can hinder correct discernment; Deceit, ignorance or error can lead to a crime without intention; Fraud, violence or threats can prevent the subject from acting freely .
But it is important to remember that insanity exists not only in the cases of murders that appear on the news or in thriller movies, but in our daily environment, whether we are aware of it or not. In fact, a considerable number of people live for years with a mental disorder belonging to this group without knowing it. Take bipolar disorder for example: it is a relatively common illness, although it is not talked about naturally nor do those who suffer from it talk about it with anyone. The emotional instability that a bipolar individual experiences can ruin all aspects of their daily life, from social to work, and among its various symptoms is the difficulty in distinguishing reality from fantasy in various situations.
In colloquial language, finally, insanity refers to the absence of rationality or judgment : "In an act of insanity, the man murdered his wife and three children," "The young man's criminal insanity shocked his neighbors." » , «The government handled the crisis insanely and aggravated the problems» .